Alice's Awakening
by bookfreak101
Summary: Her mind barley comprehends. Her memory is short term. She doesn't know who she is. How will she handle the situation that's meant for brave, strong people. That's not her. It's someone else. Besides, the doctor thinks she's insane. What else is there?
1. Chapter 1

"Alice? Please? I know that you can here me. You haven't gotten the treatments long enough for that!" My drowsy mind immediately wanted to comfort this person. He sounded so worried and urgent. "Please . . ." I felt a touch on my wrist and could feel how cold it was through my thin blanket.

It was just a low murmur in my ear but it seemed loud, most people thought it appropriate to whisper here. The fact that I didn't know where that was stunned me. I knew this place so well. How did I get here? It was something to think about later. But what would I remember then?

I had lost my train of thought. Who had just spoken? I didn't need to think about it long. The answer was right in front of my closed lids. My eyes slowly opened. I had expected that I would have to adjust to the light so I could see my visitor in the dim, almost black light but it was unnecessary.

It _was_ familiar to me though my eyes will never get used to the sight of him. I felt goose bumps rise on my arms and there was a strange pressure on my chest that wasn't uncomfortable. I felt safe now, content.

The face in front of me was so pale that it almost seemed luminescent. His eyes were a bright enough red that they were visible. That probably should have unnerved me but my mind was too foggy. His hair was light brown with gold strands woven into it. It fell around his perfect face in a messy sort of way. His nose was long and straight and his eyebrows had an arch to them that I had never seen on a man. They gave his face personality. His lips were only slightly darker than his pure white skin; they were twisted into a worried line. His clear, glassy forehead was crinkled in little lines that I wanted to smooth out with my fingers.

As soon as he saw I was lucid he let out a relieved sigh and his frown lines disappeared. I was glad.

"Alice, do you understand me?"

I nodded my head weakly. Why did I feel so tired? My eyes remained wide, they followed his every move. His voice was rich and smooth, enticing.

"Do you know my name?"

I hesitated and he frowned. I searched my mind. He was . . . a doctor. Of what though? Did he live here too? Could he tell me?

"You're . . . You work here?"

His expression became thoughtful. He was considering how I answered the question. This was familiar to me too. Almost everyone I talked to these days did that. A memory flitted through my head but was gone before I could process it. I had gotten a dim sense of imprisonment. I was getting frustrated. Where _was_ I? W-what's my last name? The complete blank that I came up with alarmed me. Would I ever remember?

The Doctors lovely voice called me back. I realized I had been looking away from him, something I regretted, and my vision was blurry. My eyes had glazed over.

His voice was soft, spoken into my ear; "I'm getting you out of here Alice. Can you get up?"

I ignored his question. I was swamped with questions. I couldn't think of getting up before my head cleared.

"Where am I?" My voice was craggy with disuse. My throat caught and I had to swallow a few times before it felt normal again. His eyes tightened. He didn't like me asking questions. I wasn't about to stop, but my list was shortened.

"You're in an insane asylum." His forehead crinkled again before I even noticed my hand was reaching to smooth it out. Something told me to stop it, something in his eyes. As soon as I understood what he said, my mind went numb. The Doctors face became blurry and dim. I didn't like this. I whimpered. It was black again. I was pained because I wouldn't see his face. I was also relieved. Too much change didn't seem to agree with me.

**AN- I wrote this story a few months ago and I realized how bad that version was. I've titled my file for the new one 'Redemption.' Hope you like this one.**


	2. Chapter 2

My second ascension into consciousness was different from the first. I wasn't hearing a lovely voice, murmuring in my ear. I didn't see my white angel. I had a sense of home. A memory came to me, a _real_ one. I felt the experience, not just a quick flash through my head.

_I saw myself lying in bed, propped up on my floral patterned pillows. My face was flushed with fever. My mother, _grief overtook me for a moment when I thought of her, _she was hovering around the bed_, _placing cold cloths on my head and pacing the room. She was worried. My sister, Cynthia was standing in the doorway, slightly jealous of all the attention I was getting._

I felt the cold on my forehead; I felt the blankets around me, but they were too heavy. The light was strange too. I opened my eyes. The Perfect Doctor's face was inches from mine. His hands were placed on my forehead.

He sighed with relief, just like the first time. "How do you feel?"

I took stock of myself. My head was a little light and I felt too hot. That wasn't normal. Before it had always been so cold. The Doctor must have moved me from . . . where? Hadn't he answered my question? Before? Oh . . . No! Why did I have to faint? I slapped my hand to my forehead. I was so ignorant. What would he think of me now?

_Insane asylum . . ._

Oh . . . The words were an echo of what he had said. He thinks I'm mad. I slumped further underneath the covers.

He looked concerned. "You should eat."

I shook my head. It was at this point that my stomach decided to growl fiercely in protest. I gave up and nodded my head when I wanted to burry my head and never come out. How could I have _ever_ thought the doctor wanted me like that? He was probably just taking me to my family. They want me back at last. My heart soared at the idea and made me forget my embarrassment.

In half an hour, he came back. He put the breakfast tray in front of me.

"Who are you?" I asked curiously.

He eyes tightened. The small smile that had been gracing his lips was swept away. "My name is Aaron Smith. I'm a doctor at St. Mary's Insane Asylum." I was quick to placate him.

"You just never told me your name. I had been calling you 'The Good Doctor' in my mind." I smiled.

He gestured toward the tray. I obediently picked up the fork and cut into my eggs. "I am hardly good. Trust my judgment."

"You're returning me to my parents aren't you? I would call that good. You've taken me from . . . um . . . where was it you said?" As I spoke I could see I was wrong. I could see my assumptions had been false.

"Where are you taking me?"

He closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands. "What do you think I am?" His hands muffled his velvet voice.

His frozen marble hands.

The deep purple circles beneath his eyes.

His blood red irises.

The calm confidence he seemed to radiate.

"You aren't human." It didn't shock me. I wasn't horrified. It was almost as if I had known.

_Vampire._

Understanding came to me. I put my hand to my mouth.

He smiled. Showing perfectly white teeth and pale gums. "That's my girl."


End file.
